Managerial Merry-Go-Round

In the Barclays Premier League, this festive season has definitely been “Silly Season” in terms of the employment-life of Club Managers.

Big names such as Chris Hughton, Sam Allardyce and Roy Hodgson have all been unceremonsly axed by their respective clubs, and all have come as rather a surprise.

Chris Hughton seemed to be doing a great job at Newcastle United. They had blasted 5 goals past Sunderland, and had excellently beaten Arsenal. But then they picked up just 2 points in 5 games which seemed to be enough for Hughton to recieve his marching orders.

Big Sam was the next Big Name to get kicked out the door. He’s proven himself in English Football management and seemed to be sailing at Blackburn, but when new owners step in the door, club infrastructure always starts to look fragile. This seemed to be the case when Blackburn’s new Indian owners were dissatisfied with mid-table mediocrity and gave Sam the boot.

The latest victim was Roy Hodgson; he managed only 7 league wins in 20 attempts. He never seemed to have the Anfield “fans” on his side, he was never really given a chance. Rafa Benitez ran the club into the ground, and Hodgson was expected to bring it back from the doldrums. He complained that never had the chance to spend money and to put his stamp on the team; that was definitely true, but even with the squad he had, he still persisted in playing a similar line-up and formation to his predecessor when what Liverpool needed was something completely new, fresh and more attacking.

Just goes to show: nobody is safe in their job as a manager of a Premiership Club.